*Alice*

"Let's get back." Allie took her sister by the hand. "I'm sure Kai and the others are worried about us."

Alden stumbled toward them. "I'm sure your brother would have run after you if he didn't have his wife in his arms."

Allie put Alden's arm around her neck. "She was his priority as she should be."

Alden narrowed his eyes. "I wasn't denying that..."

Lulu took Alden's other arm. "I wanna get back to Vi."

Alden blinked. "Are you going to bring that squirrel with you?"

"He's starving! Look at him!"

"Easy. I'm not criticizing you. I'm just surprised."

"I think it's a girl," Allie said.

"What are you going to call it?" Alden asked.

Lulu glared at him. "I'm going to call her Tatiana."

When they got to the wagon, Benny and Cody took Alden from them.

"I just need a minute," Alden said with a weak smile.

Sky hopped off the back of the wagon. "That's a cute squirrel."

"I don't know, seems a bit malnourished." Violet held out a hand, causing an acorn to fly over to her.

The squirrel squeaked happily as it took the acorn that it ate ravenously.

Vi sat on the back of the wagon.

"Are you okay?" Lulu asked.

"I'm fine." Vi smiled. "I just feel a little lousy still."

Allie bit her lip.

"Please don't worry about me. I'm fine. I promise."

Allie spoke just above a whisper. "Lulu and I are adopted, aren't we?"

Kai rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, you're like Vi. I don't think Mom and Dad meant to keep it from you. They just never got the opportunity to tell you."

"I used to be a girl called Adele." Allie let out a shaky breath. "I think Lulu used to be a girl called Lumi who lived in this village."

"My mommy was called Kat."

Sky tugged on Kai's shirt. He had tears in his eyes. "Am I adopted, too?"

"Nah." Kai ruffled the boy's hair. "I watched Mom carry you for nine months. She had me in the oven, too. Dad and Mom have some pictures."

"Pictures? What are those?" Alden asked.

"You don't know what they are?" Lucy asked.

He shook his head. "Is it like a drawing?"

"Odd, Zena had one of her son," Vi said.

Kai gasped. "Could that lady have been from another world?"

"She did have toys that looked like those your mom got you from Nachima..."

Lulu lowered her head. "Daddy..."

"Huh?" Kai said.

She shook her head and feigned a smile.

Allie patted her shoulder. "How about we go bathe?"

"That's a good idea!" Alden said, grabbing his shirt.

Allie sighed and wacked him upside the head. "Oh, no you don't! You're not bathing with us! You boys will go after us!"

"Girls, can you come here?"

Vi put her arms around Allie and Lulu's necks.

"I'm sure a bath will help you a lot," Allie said.

"If only it were a hot spring."

Allie smiled. "Maybe we should find a small lake, I can heat up the water."

"Hey, no boiling fish alive!" Kai said.

"Let's go," Vi said. "I feel gross."

After Allie got new clothes and towels for them, they went to the river.

"What's wrong?" Vi asked.

"Water..." Allie said.

That was when Lulu noticed Allie was shivering.

"I wish Kai was nearby. In case that guy comes back."

"Can one of you unzip my dress?" Vi asked.

"Will you do it, Lulu?" Allie asked.

Lulu undid the zipper.

Lumi and Adele each grabbed one of Vi's arms and helped lower her into the river so that she wouldn't trip.

Trip...

Lumi let go of Violet and closed her eyes.

"Lulu!" Allie yelled.

Lumi panted as she ran away from several torch-wielding men. Who were they? They didn't look like any villagers she knew. Her eyes focused ahead. She'd reached the river. Thankfully, it was partially frozen, so she could walk through it.

She smiled as she reached the opposite side. I made it!

A gasp escaped her lips as the ice gave way beneath her, dragging her into the rushing waters underneath.

"Mommy! Daddy!" she yelled as she tried to swim to the shoreline. She grabbed onto a piece of floating ice and caught her breath. But her relief was short lived as the chunk of ice capsized.

She closed her eyes as her tiny body gave into the river's fury.

"Hey, are you alright?" a voice shouted as she struck something rocky.

"D-daddy..." Lulu said before losing all conscious.

"I-I remember now! How I met Edad."

"Was that pun?" Vi asked, raising an eyebrow.

Lulu's face flushed. She wasn't exactly sure what to call him now.

"Vi, focus on what matters," Allie said, glaring at her.

"Sorry." Vi turned away. "Speaking about Edgar, I should probably tell you something important. You know why Ed was gone during the war? It wasn't only because he was fighting, but because he was aiding me in my job as a Key Keeper. The same applied for Ame who would leave to care for my brothers. Soon, he'll appear before you to tell you of your duties as the new Key Keeper of Degaro."

"I know about that, but I'm the new Key Keeper?" Lulu said, pointing at herself.

Vi pointed to Lulu's heart. "You've always had that birthmark, right?"

The girl nodded slowly.

"Unless there are issues at play, KKs are usually born with one. That said, those that work usually don't until at least sixteen."

Allie touched her head. "Key Keepers. En mentioned them. His brother was on a job as one when I met him."

"You alright?" Vi asked.

"Yeah, it's just, I can't help but think that I heard about them before that. I faintly remember a red-haired man talking about them."

"Could he be your dad?" Lulu asked.

She gasped. "Maybe, it was in what seemed to have been my home."

"Red-haired man..." Vi said, narrowing her eyes at the water.

"Is something wrong?" Allie asked.

Vi shook her head.

"But, how are you sure if Lulu can use her key?" Allie asked.

Vi crossed her arms. "I'm not. But, given that I woke up, the chances are likely."

Lumi held out her hand like she'd seen Violet do when visiting her siblings.

Their eyes widened at the glistening key in her hands.

Vi sighed. "That answers that question."

***

The girls got dressed before heading back to the wagon. Vi didn't lean on the girls as much, so she must have gotten some strength back.

Tatiana, who had been on Sky's shoulder, jumped onto Lulu's head.

She giggled. "I missed you too, Tata."

The boys then left.

Allie looked at Vi. "Is there anything special you would rather eat?"

"I'm actually not that hungry right now." Vi's cheeks reddened. "I ate some of my vines when I woke up."

The girls' eyes widened.

"I was hungry. They were right there."

"Still..."

"Hunger does that."

"What are you going to make?" Lulu asked.

"Porridge," Allie replied.

"Can I help?" Vi asked.

Allie shook her head. "I have this."

Lulu was hesitant at first, but Vi eventually goaded the girl into a game of tag. Vi eventually wore herself out and felt to the ground laughing.

"If only my brothers were here!"

That was when the boys came back. Kai grinned as he scooped up his wife.

"K-Kai? Why are you naked?" Her cheeks reddened.

"We forgot our clothes." Her husband rolled his eyes. "Also, I'm wearing a towel!"

Allie raised her eyebrows. "All five of you?"

Kai smiled. "Nah, Sky remembered."

Lulu laughed. "Seems Sky's the smart one."

Vi nodded.

Kai put down Vi next to Lulu and stomped away, blushing.

"Tsk, tsk. Kai is still a kid," Allie said.

"Is the porridge done?"

"Nah! Letting the oats cook still."

"I'll go enjoy my bath then."

***

After the boys finished their bath, it was time for lunch.

"Say Sky, were you the one who reminded the other boys that they had forgotten their clothes?" Allie asked as they ate.

Sky nodded. "Yeah. Thought that they would've noticed before diving in, but none of them did."

The other four guys blushed.

Lulu ruffled her baby brother's hair. "You're so smart!"

He puffed his chest. "Yes, I am."

Alden grumbled. "Big-head."

Tata climbed onto his shoulder.

Sky giggled as he petted her.

"Well, I finished with my food," Alden said, standing up.

"That was fast," Violet said.

"Well, we all should be. We've wasted enough time as it is."

"I can eat on the wagon," Sky said.

Vi let Kai help her onto the wagon. "Please be careful."

"I will."

"Do you feel up for driving?" Alden asked as he turned to Lulu.

Lulu rubbed her arms. "You can do it if you want."

"I'll take the reins then."

This area was almost as eerie as the valley. The homes were gone. Some places still had fire damage. The foliage that grown in its place didn't help much.

A tall red-brick wall came into view. It reminded Lumi of the pictures of castles in her children's books, except way more massive.

Lulu stared at the walls. On the other side were the ones who had killed her mama. She gulped. As Key Keeper, she had to maintain the balance between the four countries, but could she truly do so?

***

Thanks for reading! It's crazy to think that 1k reads will likely coincide with the 3 month anniversary. Thoughts on the story? The cast?

I don't know when, but the quest will continue with The Princess Key. I'd like to focus on Key of Liberation as it's the closest to completion. and I'd also I like a buffer like I had at the start of this book.

~Shino out!